Bengaluru: The decision of the JD(S) to submit a letter to the Assembly Speaker before March 23 seeking disposal of the disqualification petition against seven of its legislators for cross voting during the 2016 Rajya Sabha polls, is likely to put the ruling Congress in a fix.
The rebel MLAs in question are N. Cheluvarayaswamy, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed , Bheema Naik , Akhanda Srinivasmurthy, H C Balakrishna, Iqbal Ansari and Raveendra Bandisiddegowda.
In the petition, the party has demanded that the Speaker should direct the seven suspended members not to vote in the March 23 Rajya Sabha elections for four seats.
JD(S) National President and former PM, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda had already giving indications of moving the high court if Speaker, Mr K.B. Koliwad fails to dispose of the petition before the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls as the seven votes of the rebel JD(S) legislators will be vital for the Congresss to ensure the victory of its third candidate. Each candidate has to get 44.5 votes (45 votes) to enter the Rajya Sabha. In case the court does not allow the seven JD(S) MLAs to vote, it would be difficult for CM Siddaramaiah to ensure the victory of the third Congress candidate.
It is also not sure if Independent MLA, Mr Varthur Prakash will vote for the Congress candidate as he and the CM are reportedly at loggerheads. Mr Prakash had already declared that he will field at least 40 candidates in the Assembly polls to defeat the Congress candidates. JD(S) spokesperson and MLC Ramesh Babu told Deccan Chronicle that his party has formally submitted a letter to Mr Koliwad through Mr R Murthy, returning officer for the RS polls and secretary, Legislature Assembly secretariat, requesting him to dispose of the disqualification case before March 23 as it had been pending for over one and a half years.
Secondly, advocates representing JD(S) will request the court to pass an interim order to prevent the seven JD(S) legislators from voting till the disposal of the case. Not disposing the petition may lead to horse trading and people may lose faith in democracy, he said adding that in order to uphold the Constitution, the Speaker has to take a decision on approving or rejecting the disqualification plea.
